stood beside him. They had recounted the perils of
the day and had outlined their respective trips for the morrow--she to
face again the dangers of the divide and go back to the uneducated,
primitive life of the forest man, degraded by the deceits and intrigues
of the avaricious, land-grabbing representatives of schools, colleges
and institutions, proclaiming the law to be justice, he to face the
vicissitudes of an unknown trail, the possibility of meeting a murderous
band of these forest men while on his way back to that realm of advanced
civilization, educated to the highest degree of refinement of "doing"
others legally.

Both had remained silent for a long time after the exchanges of the
day's experiences. Jack wanted to express his gratitude to Chiquita for
her bravery and self-imposed task in conducting him over the trail, for
he now fully realized the certain death that awaited him had he
undertaken the trip alone. But he was not master of words that the
Indian maiden would understand in their fullest import, nor did he hope
to be able to convey by signs that which was uppermost in his mind.

It may be Chiquita read his thoughts, but was equally at loss to find
adequate words to impart any assistance. Finally, after many misgivings
as to what she might consider an ample word reward, he started in at
random:

"Chiquita sabe that she has been good to Jack?"

"Me no sabe, Senor."

Jack was nonplussed. In her he found the same ability to dissemble that
predominated in the well-known character of the first lady in the Garden
of Eden. He tried to recall some Spanish words that she might
understand, but none of the few which he essayed to use met with any
better reception.

"Chiquita heap brave," said Jack, to which she made no reply.

"Chiquita save Jack; make 'em glad Jack's heart. What Jack do to make
Chiquita's heart glad?"

He at last had struck the right chord, as her face beamed with a glad
response, but it brought questions causing a train of thought which made
him smile even at the risk of incurring her displeasure. To express
gratitude to an Indian requires much more diplomacy and skill than is
required under like circumstances in civilized communities.

"Would the fair-faced sister of the white man save Jack all same
Chiquita? Would the pale-face maiden bring firewood and sleep in willow
bed to save white man's life?"

Her eyes blazed in the consciousness of knowing that in the present age
on the